PREVIEW: Rayo Vallecano v FC Barcelona

There is little time to dwell on the disappointment of losing the Clásico at home to Real Madrid on Sunday because Barça are going straight back to work with a trip to Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday at 7.00pm CEST, and a ground where they have not lost since 2002.

The Madrid-based side have got off to a strong start since returning to the top flight last season. And it’s in home games at Vallecas where things have been going especially well for them, where they have yet to drop a single point.

How it stands

Rayo are currently seventh in the table, with one point more than Barça but also having played one more game.

Barça go into the game six points adrift of Liga leaders Real Sociedad, who visit Celta on Thursday. In other games on Wednesday, second placed Real Madrid entertain this season’s surprise package Osasuna and third placed Sevilla are in Mallorca.

Last five games

Oct 25 (LIGA) Barça 1-2 Real Madrid
Oct 20 (UCL) Barça 1-0 Dynamo Kyiv 0
Oct 17 (LIGA) Barça 3-1 Valencia
Oct 2 (LIGA) Atlético Madrid 2-0 Barça
Sep 29 (UCL) Benfica 3-0 Barça

Oct 24 (LIGA) Betis 3-2 Rayo
Oct 17 (LIGA) Rayo 2-1 Elche
Oct 2 (LIGA) (Osasuna 1-0 Rayo
Sep 26 (LIGA) Rayo 3-1 Cadiz
Sep 21 (LIGA) Athletic Club 1-2 Rayo

Team news

Injuries have not been kind to Barça this season, and a new concern was added to the list at the weekend when Frenkie de Jong strained his right hamstring. He sits this game out along with the also unavailable Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembéle, Martin Braithwaite and Pedri.

On Wednesday morning it was announced that Ansu Fati would eventually not be travelling due to pain in his right knee.

Did you know?

If Barça win this game, it will be their longest ever winning streak against the same team in all competitions – 15 games in total.

Barça have won their last four Liga games played on a Wednesday night, while Rayo haven’t won any of theirs.

Playing for Espanyol at the time, Philippe Coutinho scored his first ever Liga brace against Rayo in 2011.

Colombian Radamel Falcao scored in three of his last four meetings with Barça, but lost every one of them, all wearing the shirt of Atlético Madrid.

Barça have not failed to score in three consecutive away games in La Liga since 2003. Hopefully that record is going to hold.

Head to head

27/01/2021 (COPA) Rayo 1-2 Barça
09/03/2019 (LIGA) Barça 3-1 Rayo
03/11/2018 (LIGA) Rayo 2-3 Barça
03/03/2016 (LIGA) Rayo 1-5 Barça
17/10/2015 (LIGA) Barça 5-2 Rayo

Ronald Koeman says

"Playing like we have in our recent home games, we have every chance of beating Rayo, but they have had a great season until now … Barça is a team that needs to win its away games too … I loved the way we played the other day, but not the result. The atmosphere was fantastic and we lost because of tiny details.”

“We are analysing the situation with injuries. Pedri might be out for a bit a longer and that’s a worry. We aren’t setting any dates for Dembélé or Araujo either but we know where we are. We want Dembélé to stay and we still have to decide what to do if he doesn’t.”

“Agüero still isn’t ready for 90 minutes, but he is ready to be given more time and perhaps to play from the start. Ansu Fati has some bother and is a doubt. We’ll decide tomorrow whether he’ll travel or not.”

“Demir was getting some games but it’s very hard to get into a team like Barça. Riqui Puig faces a lot of competition for places too.”

“Memphis is very self-critical and knows there are things he needs to improve and knows what they are. Meanwhile, we have to decide where it is best to play him.”